Apparatus and method for treating process fluids

Abstract

A process fluid treating apparatus includes an ejector assembly fluidically connected to a process fluid supply assembly. A Coanda airfoil is located in the ejector assembly. Primary fluid is injected into the ejector duct to form a Coanda layer. A process fluid, or part of it, flows toward the ejector assembly through the process fluid assembly, which gradually turns that process fluid towards fluid treating channel formed adjacent to the Coanda layer. Shear and other forces and pressure gradients associated with the Coanda layer serve to pump or assist in pumping the process fluid from the source and to operate on the process fluid to atomize it, to pulverize, or de-agglomerize solid particles entrained in the process fluid, to produce high mass flow rate of the process fluid and to provide aerosol down to micron and sub micron mean droplet diameter size.

1. A process fluid treating apparatus comprising:
 A) a process fluid supply assembly, which includes
 (1) an inlet section fluidically connected to a source of process fluid, 
 (2) an outlet section fluidically connected to the inlet section, and 
 (3) a longitudinal axis which extends between the inlet section of the process fluid supply assembly and the outlet section of the process fluid supply assembly; 
 
 B) a body element mounted on said process fluid assembly to be in line with the longitudinal axis of the process fluid supply assembly and to be contacted by process fluid flowing through the process fluid supply assembly and including a shaped exit section, the exit section of the body element having a curvature which is concave in shape; 
 C) a Coanda airfoil assembly fluidically connected to said process fluid assembly and including
 (1) a flow section located adjacent to the shaped exit section of said body element, the flow section of said Coanda airfoil assembly being convex in shape and having a curvature that matches the curvature of the exit section of the body element and being spaced apart from the shaped exit section of said body element to define a curved passageway through which process fluid flows, 
 (2) said Coanda airfoil assembly being fluidically connected to a source of primary fluid, 
 (3) a primary fluid outlet port defined in the flow section of said Coanda airfoil assembly and fluidically connected to the source of primary fluid so that primary fluid is injected into the passageway adjacent to said Coanda airfoil assembly, 
 (4) so as to form a Coanda layer of primary fluid flowing adjacent to Coanda airfoil assembly adjacent to the exit section of said body element, the Coanda layer having shear forces and pressure gradients associated therewith; 
 
 D) the outlet section of said process fluid supply assembly being located and oriented with respect to the Coanda layer to direct process fluid into the passageway toward and into contact with the Coanda layer of primary fluid in a direction and manner so that the shear forces and pressure gradients associated with the Coanda layer are applied to the process fluid flowing in contact with the Coanda layer so that the shear forces and pressure gradients of the Coanda layer of primary fluid act on the process fluid to pump the process fluid from the process fluid supply assembly inlet section to the process fluid supply assembly outlet section and to turn the process fluid into small components. 
 
   
   
     2. The process fluid treating apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein said body element is conically shaped. 
   
   
     3. The process fluid treating apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the shaped exit section of said body element converges in the direction of process fluid flow. 
   
   
     4. The process fluid treating apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein said process fluid includes solid particles entrained therein. 
   
   
     5. The process fluid treating apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein said process fluid includes liquid particles entrained therein. 
   
   
     6. The process fluid treating apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein said primary fluid has a flow velocity and said process fluid has a flow velocity, with said primary fluid flow velocity exceeding the process fluid flow velocity. 
   
   
     7. The process fluid supply assembly defined in  claim 2  wherein said conically shaped body element includes an apex angle which is in the range of 12° and 45°. 
   
   
     8. The process fluid supply assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein said Coanda airfoil assembly is annular and extends for 360° about an axis of a process fluid treating apparatus centerline. 
   
   
     9. The process fluid supply assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein the outlet section of said process fluid supply assembly is oriented with respect to the passageway to direct process fluid to flow essentially parallel to the Coanda layer of primary fluid flowing in the passageway. 
   
   
     10. A process fluid treating apparatus comprising:
 A) an ejector assembly, which includes
 (1) an ejector inlet section having an inlet port on one end thereof, 
 
 (2) an ejector throat on a second end of said inlet section, and
 (3) an ejector outlet section having one end thereof fluidically connected to said throat and having an exit port on a second end thereof; 
 
 B) a Coanda airfoil element fluidically connected to said ejector assembly so as to form a Coanda nozzle through which primary fluid is injected into the ejector duct, primary fluid being injected into the ejector duct forming a Coanda layer of primary fluid flowing adjacent to Coanda airfoil walls, said Coanda airfoil element including
 (1) a primary fluid supply nozzle fluidically connected to a source of the primary fluid, 
 (2) a Coanda airfoil fluidically connected to the primary fluid supply nozzle and fluidically connected to said ejector assembly, and 
 (3) the Coanda layer of primary fluid being formed on the Coanda airfoil; and 
 
 C) a process fluid supply assembly fluidically connected to said ejector assembly for supplying process fluid to said ejector assembly including
 (1) an inlet fluidically connected to a source of process fluid, 
 (2) an outlet fluidically connected to said ejector assembly inlet section, the outlet being located to direct process fluid toward the Coanda layer and into contact with said Coanda layer of primary fluid so that forces associated with the Coanda layer are transferred to the process fluid flowing in contact with the Coanda layer and including an inner cone mounted on a divider plate of said process fluid supply assembly outlet and having an apex located upstream of said inner cone base and upstream of said ejector throat, with forces associated with the Coanda layer of primary fluid acting on the process fluid to pump the process fluid from the ejector inlet section to the ejector outlet section and to separate components of the process fluid from each other. 
 
 
   
   
     11. A process fluid treating apparatus comprising:
 A) an ejector assembly, which includes
 (1) an ejector inlet section having an inlet port on one end thereof, 
 (2) an ejector throat on a second end of said inlet section, and 
 (3) an ejector outlet section having one end thereof fluidically connected to said throat and having an exit port on a second end thereof; 
 
 B) a Coanda airfoil element fluidically connected to said ejector assembly to be in line with the longitudinal axis of the ejector assembly and having a section that is curved to be convex so as to form a Coanda nozzle through which primary fluid is injected into the ejector duct, primary fluid being injected into the ejector duct forming a Coanda layer of primary fluid flowing adjacent to Coanda airfoil walls, said Coanda airfoil element including
 (1) a primary fluid supply nozzle fluidically connected to a source of the primary fluid, and 
 (2) a Coanda airfoil fluidically connected to the primary fluid supply nozzle and fluidically connected to said ejector assembly; 
 
 C) a Coanda layer of primary fluid located adjacent to the Coanda airfoil, the Coanda layer of primary fluid developing shear forces and pressure gradients associated with the Coanda layer; and 
 D) a process fluid supply assembly fluidically connected to said ejector assembly for supplying process fluid to said ejector assembly, the process fluid supply assembly including
 (1) an inlet fluidically connected to a source of process fluid, 
 (2) an outlet fluidically connected to said ejector assembly inlet section, the outlet being located in line with the longitudinal axis of the ejector assembly to direct process fluid toward the Coanda layer and into contact with the Coanda layer of primary fluid so that forces associated with the Coanda layer act on the process fluid flowing in contact with the Coanda layer, 
 (3) the process fluid supply assembly further including
 (a) a divider plate connected to said process fluid supply assembly outlet, 
 (b) an inner cone mounted on the divider plate and having a base and an apex which is located upstream of the inner cone base and upstream of the throat of the ejector assembly, the inner cone being located so as to create a passageway for the process fluid where it is being affected by the shear forces and pressure gradients of the Coanda layer, 
 (c) the process fluid being directed into contact with the Coanda layer in a manner which permits the shear forces and the pressure gradients of the Coanda layer of primary fluid to act on the process fluid to pump the process fluid from the ejector inlet section to the ejector outlet section and to separate components of the process fluid from each other. 
 
 
 
   
   
     12. A process fluid treating apparatus comprising:
 A) a process fluid supply assembly, which includes
 (1) an inlet section fluidically connected to a source of process fluid, 
 (2) an outlet section, 
 (3) a divider plate, and 
 (4) an inner cone mounted on the divider plate of said process fluid supply assembly to be located in the outlet section of the process fluid supply assembly, the inner cone having a base and an apex located upstream of the base of the inner cone and upstream of the ejector throat; 
 
 B) an ejector assembly, which includes
 (1) an ejector inlet section having an inlet port on one end thereof fluidically connected to the outlet section of the process fluid supply assembly, 
 (2) an ejector throat on a second end of said inlet section, and 
 (3) an ejector outlet section having one end thereof fluidically connected to the throat of the ejector assembly and having an exit port on a second end thereof; 
 
 C) a body element mounted on said process fluid supply assembly and including a shaped exit section; 
 D) a Coanda airfoil assembly fluidically connected to said process fluid assembly and including
 (1) a flow section located adjacent to the shaped exit section of said body element, the flow section of said Coanda airfoil assembly being spaced apart from the shaped exit section of said body element to define a passageway through which process fluid flows, 
 (2) said Coanda airfoil assembly being fluidically connected to a source of primary fluid, 
 (3) a primary fluid outlet port defined in the flow section of said Coanda airfoil assembly and fluidically connected to the source of primary fluid so that primary fluid is injected into the passageway adjacent to said Coanda airfoil assembly so as to form a Coanda layer of primary fluid flowing adjacent to Coanda airfoil assembly between said Coanda assembly and to the exit section of said body element; 
 
 E) the outlet section of said process fluid supply assembly being located to direct process fluid toward the Coanda layer into the passageway and into contact with said Coanda layer of primary fluid so that forces associated with the Coanda layer are transferred to the process fluid flowing in contact with the Coanda layer with forces associated with the Coanda layer of primary fluid acting on the process fluid to pump the process fluid from the process fluid supply assembly inlet section to the process fluid supply assembly outlet section and to separate the process fluid into small components.